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Post by harborbelt70 on Mar 30, 2024 13:42:32 GMT
I am not a fan of jigsaw puzzles; others in my family are very enthusiastic about them. However, in my negative/irascible way I don’t see the point of painstakingly assembling the 100s of pieces only to dump them back in the bag and box when complete. I prefer to have something tangible and permanent to show for my efforts. But in the usual way of things my self-inflicted puzzle is how to turn these and other parts:
into a reasonable facsimile of this beast:
 I’m also not a fan of the component maker’s 3D printed and two-part roof. The print is much thicker than I expected at somewhere north of 1/8” and in the curing process it seems to have curled up towards the ends. I have mostly flattened it out but at some expense in terms of the proper curvature of the rooftop. Watch this space for updates but don’t expect any very soon.
BTW, an unexpected bonus is that the parts came with a diagram giving very precise measurements of the prototype’s (now UP Power Car 2066’s) window placements, which has served as a check on my crude scaling from photographs printed on graph paper. The diagram confirms what I had worked out i.e. that the humpback structure starts about 37” from the front of the roof and is somewhat more than 44’ long, which I translate into 11” at 1/48 scale.
Sticking with puzzling in these other side shots, (1) what exactly is this one of and (2) why do I have it?
Question (1) will probably be easy for the skilled and highly informed collectors who post here although this steamer is not a vintage item. Question (2) probably invites the response, “Because you’re off your rocker, old dude!” That would be correct but is not the answer I am looking for as the real one relates back to things I have mentioned in past instalments of this thread.
Finally, I have puzzled over this fine photo that appeared on Instagram recently, which is equally as good as one I have posted before of an O scale FEF-3 on the main side rod of UP #844:
Exactly who took it, when and where was not explained. I think I have worked out that the model is a Weaver steamer and that the photo is not a composite with one of the prototype behind. Instead, unless there’s some clever Photoshopping here the model and the tubular track are on some kind of reflective surface with the prototype partly mirrored in it.
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Post by healey36 on Mar 30, 2024 14:10:13 GMT
Sticking with puzzling in these other side shots, (1) what exactly is this one of and (2) why do I have it?
Looks like a lovely model of an SNCF 241-class 4-8-2 (or as the Europeans classify steam, a 2-4-1). Why you have felt compelled to acquire it, no idea, other than it being a terrific model. What is this, HO? Regardless, I'm liking it.
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Post by seayakbill on Mar 30, 2024 14:21:53 GMT
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Post by healey36 on Mar 30, 2024 14:30:31 GMT
I'm coming around to the idea of abandoning the long-held notion of building a circus train. According to the most recent actuarial tables I've examined, there's likely not enough time left on the clock to make a proper job of it, lol, especially in view of the mountain of other projects sitting on, under, over, and behind the workbench. Having started some 2-3 decades back, I've not made much progress, but here's a few side shots of circus wagons painted back when I was quite a bit younger and the eyes were a bit better:      In order, they are the K-line tableau wagon, a K-line animal wagon, a K-line baggage wagon, a K-line calliope, and an Ertl pre-painted band wagon. The K-lines are all assembled from simple kits, then painted. I can't claim the Ertl as my own work...it's a porcelain piece from their line made for the Circus World Museum collection. |
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Post by af3020 on Mar 30, 2024 17:15:56 GMT
For this Side Shot Saturday I don't have any examples of parts waiting to be turned into a train but I do have an instance of taking scrap and turning it into functioning rolling stock - in this case a series of tool test cars made from scrap CP passenger lithography sheets. In the world of manufacturing, after setting up your production machinery, it is necessary to test it to make sure everything is doing what it is supposed to - turning litho sheet stock into car bodies without doing any damage - scrapes/abrasions/poor cutting leaving sharp edges/etc. The usual practice is to make test shots using scrap production material. This is a consist of test cars from the Flynn's when they were making their Modern Marx offerings. They offered a few of these test shot cars complete with running gear for sale from time to time on e-bay. The engine is a standard Modern Marx offering.  Changing subjects - Harborbelt70 - it looks like the reflective surface in your 611 picture is the roof of an automobile. |
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Post by Country Joe on Mar 30, 2024 22:33:46 GMT
Sticking with puzzling in these other side shots, (1) what exactly is this one of and (2) why do I have it?
Looks like a lovely model of an SNCF 241-class 4-8-2 (or as the Europeans classify steam, a 2-4-1). Why you have felt compelled to acquire it, no idea, other than it being a terrific model. What is this, HO? Regardless, I'm liking it. It looks like Marklin HO.
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Post by atsda on Mar 31, 2024 6:26:07 GMT
harborbelt70, even though you don't like puzzles, you sure do a good deal of puzzleing over diagram details and measurements. I enjoy following your investigations. Alfred
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Post by harborbelt70 on Mar 31, 2024 8:41:07 GMT
Sticking with puzzling in these other side shots, (1) what exactly is this one of and (2) why do I have it?
The short version of why is that years ago I taught myself how to use DCC and then the Marklin AC control system but I didn't pursue them very far. Lately, as I have said before, I have got tired of the main US importers' unreliable products, plus in the passenger car sphere there is nothing new that appeals, especially from the "generic" body types produced by Lionel. As I have also mentioned, recently I have seen some Euro O scale passenger cars that have the sort of detail that I have tried to put in my US cars and were real eye-openers. I began to wonder if I've been missing out on something by not troubling with classic Euro cars, including any made by MTH although I doubt they's be a patch on the other versions I have seen. However, for various reasons, including expense and space limits, I could never create a whole train of these O cars as opposed to a display item i.e. no actual running of such cars. That's not really satisfactory but I stumbled across a kind of halfway house in a Marklin set being made to go with this engine.
The set has not yet been issued in the US but I was sold on the detail of it, even in what amounts to tabletop running. The Marklin catalog description appears below and from past experience I know they will produce what they advertise. Rightly or wrongly, what appeals to me most in passenger car models is lighting features and interior details, and these are in this set:   So far the engine has only been on a programming track but I will say that one thing that appeals is that unlike other HO I have run it is LOUD - especially when triggering the banshee whistle option. I'll get some video of it at some point. I was a little taken aback to see "Made in China" on the box because the build quality of the engine and its operation are first rate. I suppose that indicates that quality model trains can be made in China but Lionel doesn't seem to have the hang of that or be interested enough to do so.
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Post by Country Joe on Mar 31, 2024 13:03:25 GMT
Marklin makes very high quality trains. Their 3 rail system is very clever. It’s almost impossible to see the little nubs that serve as the 3rd rail. If you go into Marklin as your primary hobby I think you’ll be very happy.
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Post by healey36 on Mar 31, 2024 14:02:37 GMT
How much of that 4-8-2 is diecast, HB? I've grown leery of Chinese manufacturing in recent years given all of the nonsensical zinc-pest issues that have arisen. There's no way I'd drop a couple grand on recent Chinese production with the rot-risk hanging over it for the foreseeable future.
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Post by harborbelt70 on Apr 1, 2024 12:28:58 GMT
How much of that 4-8-2 is diecast, HB? I've grown leery of Chinese manufacturing in recent years given all of the nonsensical zinc-pest issues that have arisen. There's no way I'd drop a couple grand on recent Chinese production with the rot-risk hanging over it for the foreseeable future.
Nonetheless, I agree that makers like Lionel inviting people to pay c.$2K for higher end products in the context of their various design, assembly and materials woes is a real deterrent. Marklin 3rail HO does not cost near that level and I have never experienced any manufacturing defects with the small selection of their products that I have. Nor - unlike Lionel and MTH - have I heard through the grapevine of zinc pest issues.
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Post by healey36 on Apr 1, 2024 13:40:58 GMT
I probably worry about it unnecessarily. The forums seem awash in tales of disintegration occurring with modern product, but I haven't experienced it myself...yet. To be honest, the only instance I personally have run into is with 80-100 year-old cast wheels on prewar stuff. I hope it stays that way.
I have a prewar Marklin set on its way from a dealer friend in Virginia...I'm eagerly awaiting that.
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